Charles Laughton and Chaplin

Candace · External Since: Jul 03, 2007 Posts: 10

I have two articles about Charles Laughton which touch upon his
admiration for Chaplin. One is an interview with him from 1956, when
he was filming Witness for the Prosecution and one is an interview
with Elsa Lanchester from the late 60's.

Laughton said he met Chaplin in 1932 when he was filming Devil and the
Deep with Gary Cooper. He said he saw Chaplin at a party and that he
had "almost a dizzying sense of personal charisma, though he was shy
when approached. He didn't know me."

Elsa Lanchester said that Laughton had adored Chaplin and was hero
worshipful of him. She said when he was in England in the late 50's he
tried to see Chaplin in Switzerland and put out feelers, but he never
saw him again and the feelers were ignored.

Does anyone know anything else about Laughton and Chaplin and whether
they met often in the 30's?

Feuillade · External Since: Jun 04, 2007 Posts: 18

On Jul 4, 1:03 pm, Richard Carnahan <rfcsac6... DeleteThis @aol.com> wrote:
> On Jul 3, 8:43 pm, Candace <ulys... DeleteThis @mscomm.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > I have two articles about Charles Laughton which touch upon his
> > admiration for Chaplin. One is an interview with him from 1956, when
> > he was filming Witness for the Prosecution and one is an interview
> > with Elsa Lanchester from the late 60's.
>
> > Laughton said he met Chaplin in 1932 when he was filming Devil and the
> > Deep with Gary Cooper. He said he saw Chaplin at a party and that he
> > had "almost a dizzying sense of personal charisma, though he was shy
> > when approached. He didn't know me."
>
> > Elsa Lanchester said that Laughton had adored Chaplin and was hero
> > worshipful of him. She said when he was in England in the late 50's he
> > tried to see Chaplin in Switzerland and put out feelers, but he never
> > saw him again and the feelers were ignored.
>
> > Does anyone know anything else about Laughton and Chaplin and whether
> > they met often in the 30's?
>
> I checked both Elsa Lanchester's autobiography and Charles Higham's
> bio of Laughton and could find no references to CC.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

In Herman Wouk's novel Youngblood Hawke there's a fictional character
based on Laughton (who directed the play The Caine Mutiny Court
Martial) who talks about Chaplin.

Tom Moran

Richard Carnahan · External Since: Jun 01, 2007 Posts: 54

On Jul 3, 8:43 pm, Candace <ulys....RemoveThis@mscomm.com> wrote:
> I have two articles about Charles Laughton which touch upon his
> admiration for Chaplin. One is an interview with him from 1956, when
> he was filming Witness for the Prosecution and one is an interview
> with Elsa Lanchester from the late 60's.
>
> Laughton said he met Chaplin in 1932 when he was filming Devil and the
> Deep with Gary Cooper. He said he saw Chaplin at a party and that he
> had "almost a dizzying sense of personal charisma, though he was shy
> when approached. He didn't know me."
>
> Elsa Lanchester said that Laughton had adored Chaplin and was hero
> worshipful of him. She said when he was in England in the late 50's he
> tried to see Chaplin in Switzerland and put out feelers, but he never
> saw him again and the feelers were ignored.
>
> Does anyone know anything else about Laughton and Chaplin and whether
> they met often in the 30's?

I checked both Elsa Lanchester's autobiography and Charles Higham's
bio of Laughton and could find no references to CC.

Candace · External Since: Jul 03, 2007 Posts: 10

I checked those two sources as well and found nothing on Chaplin. I
have one photo of Laughton with Chaplin which looks to be 1939 when
Laughton was doing Hunchback. They're on a tennis court and CC is
wearing the elegant long white flanel pants. Poor Laughton is wearing
shorts. This is one man who should NEVER have been seen dead in
shorts. It was almost as cringe-worthy as the toga he wore in
Spartacus while trying to pick up John Gavin in the hot bath scene.